Psalm 23 Mug Challenge: Week 1

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week1

 Good morning, friends!

Welcome to Day 1 of the Psalm23 Mug challenge! 

I wanted a way to invite and encourage you to have some deliberate and intimate time with your Shepherd as you begin your morning routine with coffee or tea.  Every week, I’ll be sharing ideas and prompts to pray for and meditate on based on Psalm 23.

These will begin on July 17th, 2017 and will be posted for 8 consecutive weeks, but I’ll be sure to leave these up as a reference if anyone would like to join afterwards.  Feel free to hop in at any time! I hope and pray this will be a blessing to you as you commit to spending time with the Good Shepherd for at least as long as it takes for you to complete your last sip. 🙂

A psalm of David, a shepherd boy.  

“The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need.” Psalm 23:1

The work of a shepherd is to meet the needs of his flock.

  • He gives them nourishment, by either bringing it to them or by leading them to places where they can easily find it.
  • He quenches their thirst by providing a clean water source ready and available at any time they should need it.
  • He gives them shelter from rain, wind, and snow.
  • He safeguards them from predators, poisonous plants, pitfalls, and situations that could be harmful to them.
  • He removes the burden of their fleeces once a year when the heat becomes unbearable.  He takes that fleece, washes away all impurities, and makes something beautiful and useful out of it.
  • He surrounds them with other sheep who make them feel safe.
  • He pays close attention to those who have lambs, making sure they have all they need to nourish and care for their young.

 

For every sip you take, thank your Shepherd for one way He has provided for you in the ways listed above.  Take your time. Savor each thought as you drink, reflecting on the goodness of the One who made you, knows you, loves you, and meets your every need.

  • Your physical needs
  • Your spiritual needs
  • Your emotional needs
  • Your relational needs

Then pray for ways that He is looking to use YOU to fulfill other’s needs. Ask that He will fill you up when your cup feels empty so you can give generously to all those He is asking you to.

And as you reach the bottom of your cup, please consider listening to this song.  I hope the resonating truths will be with you long after the caffeine’s effects have subsided.

Blessings, sweet friends.

-Megan

Please post a photo of your mug with #Psalm23mugchallenge (or screen shot and share my image) to encourage others to join us! I’d love to hear your thoughts and reflections from the day’s challenge.

The Psalm 23 Mug Challenge

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psalm23mugchallenge
I have been blessed and honored to have this little corner of the internet where color, wool, sheep, shepherding, and community collide.  I love that I get to share little squares of my life with you- be it a post about pretty felt balls, my workshop, or facts about sheep. Behind every image is a passion for bringing quality and colorful wooly products to homes across the world.
Yes, they make a room more cozy, welcoming, and fun, but the underlying pencil lines that you do not see is the love for sheep and the product that they give us.  And even more so, is a love for my Good Shepherd who gives me grace, peace, and a passion to give others meaningful encounters with Him.
I love going out to my pastures when the light is golden yellow and the night air is still cool and sitting quietly beside my little flock.  I wish you could sit with me, and we could listen as our Shepherd speaks to our hearts about how much He loves us and the truth He whispers to us in Psalm 23.
 
That is why I created this little challenge so  we can go on a journey together through this beautiful Psalm.  And maybe you can even invite others to do the same!
Each week I will be posting a specific conversation we can sit down and have with our Shepherd based on a verse from this passage.
Why is it called the mug challenge?  Because that’s how long it will take you- from the time you take your first sip until your coffee cup is empty.  About 10 minutes.
(And yes, I understand if, like me, you never get to have sips in a row.  That you have to warm up your coffee 47 times before you get to the bottom.  This challenge is going to require you to sit down and enjoy a warm beverage from start to finish one time a week.)
Are you up for it?????
Here’s the challenge!
1- Pick a mug that you love.  One that makes you smile.  One that invites your hands to really hold it.  You know the one?  Fill it with something hot or cold.  It just has to be something that you enjoy!
2- This is a hard one.  Remove as many distractions as possible.
Have kids?  Invite them to do this with you!
3- I am going to be giving you prompts about what to pray for.  For each sip, you’re going to name one thought or one sentence.  (Because I too have trouble focusing and maybe if we make this simple and align it with something we are already doing, we can actually sit quietly with our Shepherd for 10 whole minutes straight.)
Each challenge will be posted to my Instagram and Facebook page each Monday morning. (Starting Monday July 16th). Feel free to start at the beginning or hop in whenever you want!
If you’ve completed the challenge for the week, please share a photo of your mug with the hashtag #psalm23mugchallenge or screenshot and share one of my photos to encourage others to come along on our journey.
Who’s up for it?